Escape The Cold
by Bucket of Weird
Summary: Severus received a letter stating that his entry for SNAIL's Encyclopedia of Tested Potions is nominated for an award. He begrudgingly goes to SNAIL Con. in order to accept his award, but finds a familiar face. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Severus and Remus share a room at the Bewildered Burrow. In the warmth they rekindle old memories, as well as new ones. (Snape/Lupin*Lemon*)
1. Chapter 1

AN: Good afternoon, everyone. I had this story in my head for awhile, so I needed to write it down to get it out of my head finally. You'll have to forgive any inaccuracies. It's been a long time since I've read the books. Other than that, please enjoy.

*Trigger warnings*: use of wandless magic and lemons.

* * *

Dear Severus Snape,

The members of SNAIL would like to thank you for your contribution for the improved recipe of the Comfort Potion. Your results show a superb quality not witnessed in almost a century. We are honored to include your recipe in the upcoming volume of _SNAIL's Encyclopedia of Tested Potions_.

Inside this letter you will find a check for your contributions, as well as a coupon for the upcoming SNAIL Con, which will help cover the expenses of the entire weekend.

We thank you again for your patronage. Because of people such as yourself possessing bright minds and determination, our efforts to advance and simplify potion-making will assist future generations to come.

Signed,

Markus Snail

Chairman of SNAIL

* * *

Dear Severus Snape,

The members of SNAIL would like to congratulate you for being nominated for a SNAIL award in: Most Greatly Improved Formula.

Please mark down whether you will be attending the award ceremony on Sunday, the last night of SNAIL Con, so that we may reserve your table at the awards show.

YES, I WILL BE ATTENDING [X]

NO, I WILL NOT BE ATTENDING [ ]

Thank you for your submission, and congratulations.

Signed,  
Markus Snail

Chairman of SNAIL

* * *

Dear Severus Snape,

Thank you for choosing to room at the Bewildered Burrow. We are writing to apologize that the original room you have booked is no longer available, but we have upgraded you to our suite at no additional cost. Unfortunately the room will not be available until Friday afternoon. We hope this change does not inconvenience you in any way. Our suite includes the following enhancements:

* King Dragon sized bed  
* Small Refrigerator with complimentary drink samples from our menu.  
* Famous Bewildered Burrow fireplace with complimentary woodpile. (All additional requests for firewood will be added to your bill.)

Please keep this letter to show to the front desk when you request your room key.

-Bewildered Burrow

* * *

Dear Severus Snape,

Thank you for purchasing your badge for SNAIL Con. Inside you will find your three day pass and receipt.

Please remember to keep your badge away from small children, extreme temperatures, and direct sunlight. Thank you.

-SNAIL Con.


	2. Chapter 2

This winter was the first Severus needed his father's coat. It was a muggle fashioned coat, too big even for a man of his height, made out of black beaver pelts. Nowadays the coat showed more dead skin than fur. The holes in the leather let the cold burrow inside like worms. For the entire train ride the dusty smell of memories spoiled his thoughts. Neither the cold nor the smell, however, stirred him to turnover his negligence and buy a new coat. Upon arriving in London, the odor had caused a throbbing pain in the base of his temples.

In the Leaky Cauldron Severus recognized many of the wizarding world's more well-known potion masters, each of them wearing a badge around their necks like his own hidden in his pocket. Lounging and drinking, the magic community was humming with excitement for SNAIL Con. They chatted amongst themselves over what potion formula would with in this year's ceremony, or complained about not being able to book a room at the Bewildered Burrow, the inn closer to the convention center, disregarding that their procrastination was at fault for not booking their rooms earlier.

Severus passed everyone without a word and went into Diagon Alley. His dark figure snaked between the witches and wizards absent mindedly browsing the wares in the window on sale in celebration for SNAIL Con. Severus stopped in front of the Bewildered Burrow to double check its address. The building's front walls curved outwards like full stomach, the brick was painted white and its trimming was black. Both sides of the building were guarded by a charming black fence with etchings of wild animals dancing and drinking. On the left was a hibernating garden with fruit trees and dried grapevines, while on the right Severus could make out what appeared to be fire damage to the trees, as their smoldering limbs were black and bare of snow. Severus went inside, almost blinded by the honey gold paint that colored the walls inside.

"Good morning, sir. Welcome to the Bewildered Burrow!" A woman at the front desk said with a fake smile. Flowery patterns of soot covered her cheeks and neck. Her uniform was black with a white stripe down the middle like a skunk's fur.

"I was informed that my room has been changed." Severus handed the woman the letter he received this morning from an owl with singed feathers.

The woman scanned the letter, nodding and still holding apart her fake smile.

"Yes, sir, everything looks good. Here is your roomkey. You're very lucky, Mr. Snape. We were asked by Markus Snail to reserve what rooms we had left only for his nominees after the accident. Everyone else that lost a room had to be transferred to the Leaky Cauldron. Unfortunate, but can't be helped. Simon will show you to your room." The woman turned to look at the floor behind the desk where Severus could not see. She clapped. "Simon, up-up. We have a guest ready to go."

There was a yawn, followed by a smacking noise. The woman opened a small door to the left of her desk. A sleepy badger wearing a black fez waddled out. It stood on the back of its clumsy legs and waited for its orders.

"Please show Mr. Snape his room, Simon," the woman said. "He'll be in our honey room suite."

Simon opened his mouth to reach for Severus luggage, but it was pulled out of his reach.

"No thank you," Severus said.

Accepting the refusal, Simon return all of his feet to the ground and waddled away. As Severus followed, he was entertained by how the badger's fez would slip from side-to-side between its ears. They went through what was left of a burned down hallway that had contained the rooms he and other magic folk had originally booked. The charred outlines of seven rooms could be counted. The entire left side of the Bewildered Burrow was exposed to the cold. Construction workers wearing their green and orange uniforms were standing around in the snow and ash, apparently clueless, and unable to work since new materials to reconstruct the Bewildered Burrow had not yet been delivered.

Simon led Severus into the golden hallways not damaged by the fire. Polished oak columns supported the building. Antlers from deer and antelope of every kind adorned the walls and were caked with years of candle wax melting over their points. Bowls of potpourri scented the hall with dried orange peels and rose petals, aggravating Severus' headache further.

They arrived at a red door larger than the black doors for the regular rooms. Its golden plaque did not have a number, but read as: HONEY MOON.

"Thank you, then," Severus said to the badger, hoping it would go.

Simon stood up. His fez slipped over his ear.

"What?"

The badger held out his paw.

"I am not tipping a badger," Severus said.

True to the spirit of a Hufflepuff, the badger made no complaint (however a badger could do so) and left Severus alone. Severus grunted and unlocked the door to his room.

"Oh, good lord."

Whoever decorated his room made full use of its name. Hexagon tiles larger than dinner plates armored the walls in amber and red. The wooden floor boards were also patterned in the shape of spiraling hexagons. Centered in the ceiling, just in front of the obscenely large and also hexagonal bed, was a golden chandelier in the shape of a beehive. Copper bees with jade eyes and glass wings were tucked in the hexagon holes, appearing more frightening than cute because of their sleepy stillness.

Severus dimmed the lights of the room so he could no longer acknowledge the catastrophe that was its decor. He placed his suitcase on top of the bed and searched through the pockets for the SNAIL con event schedule.

WELCOME to SNAIL Con., where all discoveries, advances, and renewals of potion making are celebrated with the public! This three day event offers a variety of presentations, panels, and shops for you to enjoy!

Severus skipped ahead to read up on the schedules for the panels.

FRIDAY:

10:00 am: Lala Binx's Discussion of Magical Spoons and How To Use Them

11:00 am: Troy Lee: Cauldron Recycling After Certain Disasters

12:00 pm: Joseph Stone's More Bane in Wolfsbane.

There were more panels, but Severus had no great interest in being here in the first place except to win his possible award. Still, when the letters had came in his possession Severus realized that he needed time for himself and away from Hogwarts. He did not give anyone detention for this weekend (but he had plenty of punishments saved for next week, he warned the students). As thrilling as cauldron recycling sounded, his late arrival to the Bewildered Burrow meant he had missed most of the presentation. There would only be enough time to visit Joseph Stone's panel.

SNAIL Con. Was taking place at the newly built convention center at the very edge of Diagon Alley. It was also now the largest building in Diagon Alley to date. From the Leaky Cauldron one could see the convention center's tusk like column and flattened dome like a mountain in the mist. Narrow, triangular windows with stained glass illuminated the center in rainbow light. Already Severus' patience prickled as he had to push through the crowds of people gawking at the ceiling's painted murals of wizards and witches studying from books or were hard at work with their cauldrons brewing.

After much shoving Severus finally found the room where Joseph Stone was holding his presentation. Rows of cheap white chairs were already filling up. Severus made himself comfortable in an open spot in the middle.

As he watched more people taking their seats, one man struggling to squeeze himself into the last of the empty chairs caught Severus' eye. He squinted, trying to figure why the man felt recognizable, then realization struck him.

Two rows ahead of Severus sat down Remus Lupin. Remus kept looking at a SNAIL pamphlet and the stage, fiddling with the pass hanging from his neck. How was he able to afford that, Severus wondered, when he can't afford new clothes?

By now all of the chairs were full. The audience murmured to each other, wondering what new, profound discovery had been made towards lycanthropy.

"What do you think Dr. Stone will have to say?" a barrel shaped woman in front of Severus asked her thinner friend.

"Don't know, love," the thin woman said. "Not sure why anyone bothers, to be honest. Put the brutes out of their misery, and ours, I say."

Severus had a perfect view of Remus' neck reddening.

On stage a man in smokey gray robes appeared on stage. A neatly wrapped sash kept the man's belly from rolling out. Soft clapping reverberated from the audience. Dr. Joseph Stone raised a peculiar flat hand in the air for silence.

"Good afternoon," Dr. Stone began. "I'll have you all know that this year has been encouragingly productive."

Dr. Stone paused to fiddle with the end of his moustache. His eyes lowered as he seemed to think of what he should say next.

"The ingredient Aconite," he spoke up suddenly, "is very much a poisonous substance, as many of you are aware. My research has allowed me to discover new methods to tame this poison. The use of relished shark liver, for instance, has proven to be an excellent substitute for the more expensive ingredient that is blue truffle mucous. And with the use of my patented Golden Dr. Stone Cauldrons, the temperatures are easier to control as well as …"

The presentation went on like this for the entire time. Dr. Stone telling the audience that there wasn't much hope for change in the production of the wolfsbane potion, but there was hope in simplifying the task if the audience were sensible enough to buy officially approved Dr. Stone potion making cauldrons, stirring sticks, vials, and ingredients. Severus, probably being the most experience with the production of wolfsbane potion than anyone else in the room, was unimpressed with the experience and made a promise to himself not to visit anymore panels if they were all shameless advertisements as this one was.

"-And so," Dr. Stone said, "with that said you will see my findings inside this year's _SNAIL's Encyclopedia of Tested Potions_ as alternative methods for the creation of the wolfsbane potion. Thank you everyone."

Everyone's clapping was sharp and polite. Severus was the only one with his arms crossed. Unlike the rest of these common folks who couldn't brew a beginner's potion if their well-being depended on it, Severus recognized that many of the alternative ingredients were no less expensive than those already proven true, especially ingredients monopolized by Dr. Stone himself.

Severus remained seated while everyone else shuffled their way out. When the two women in front of him stood and turned around to leave, a smile appeared on the larger woman's face and her eyes brightened with recognition.

"Aren't you Severus Snape?" she asked him.

Not knowing who she was, Severus made a confused nod.

"Your renovation of the Comfort Potion is a _lifesaver_."

Both of the women pushed their chairs aside to come closer to him. Severus stood up to flee, but the back of his legs hit the chair and caused him to fall back into place. Trapped.

"I already showed my daughter the mixture," the large woman said.

"You aren't supposed to be sharing the mixtures until _after_ the book is officially released," the thin woman said.

"Oh, but the poor dear needed it." The large woman pouted, then smiled back to Severus. "It works _wonders_. Don't tell anyone, but you have my vote."

Severus put two-and-two together and realized this woman would be one of the judges for the awards ceremony.

"I appreciate that," he said.

"Good luck! See you at the ceremony," the large woman said. She and her friend left together. Out of the way, Severus could see Remus looking over his shoulder directly at him.

"Severus?" Remus looked both ways, then pushed his chair out of his way and approached the potion master. Up close Remus looked like a stray dog with an expression that hoped for food or pity.

"I wasn't expecting you to be here," Remus said. He struggled to push aside one last chair, whose leg had caught in the hole of his trousers. "I mean-it's not that surprising, but, I figured, you'd be working. Still, it's SNAIL Con., and you are a potion master-"

"You're mumbling," Severus said.

"Yes, I am. Sorry. It's just been so long. How are you?" Remus attempted to smile, but it was evidence he felt a strain from weakness in doing so. His smile faded the longer he waited for Severus to reply. "That was an interesting presentation. It sounds like Dr. Stone has made some good strides with the wolfsbane potion."

"He hasn't," Severus said. "The only progress that man made was adding slug salt to stabilize the boil. Everything else was a sham. This panel has been a more useless waste of my time than muggle television."

Color drained from Remus' already pale complexion. Remus said with his eyes lowered, "Oh … I'm meeting with Dr. Stone today. For an interview."

Severus raised an eyebrow.

"I'll be assisting him with his wolfsbane mixture-trying to see what works better and what doesn't," Remus said.

"Have you two met already?" Severus asked.

"No. We've only exchanged letters," Remus said. "He's promised me a place to stay, and to pay for my meals, in exchange for helping me with his research, and-and payment after each full moon."

As Remus explained the situation his speech pattern became more shaken as Severus appeared less impressed with what he was saying.

"Hmm." Severus scratched his chin. "His shop is not far from here."

"Oh? Yes-yes, I noticed that when I got here."

"It's managed by his niece most of the time," Severus said. "There is something I need to pick up from there. I don't doubt that he'll be there also now that his panel is over."

"He did ask me to meet him there after his panel."

"You can follow me then. It's annoying to find without directions. Come along," Severus said.

"R-right," Remus said, not able to mask his apprehension for Severus' unnaturally helpful mood.

Severus led Remus out of the convention center and back to the streets. Neither of them talked as they weaved through the narrowing alleyways. Remus would open his mouth to say something, but he would be interrupted by a stranger carrying Dr. Stone patented cauldrons through the opposite direction.

Soon the two men were traveling down an alley tight enough for only a single person to walk through at a time. Remus followed Severus until this strange alley ended at a brick wall with an unusual door made of blue glass. White letters painted over the glass read: DR. STONE'S MOST USEFUL POTION NECESSITIES AND PATENTED WARES. Severus knocked on the door, and it was opened by Dr. Stone himself.

"Severus! I thought I saw your face in the audience. I dare say I hope you learned a thing or two from me. How are you?"

"Well enough," Severus said. Without warning, Severus scooped Remus by the shoulder into a friendly embrace and wore a rare smile. "This is my old Hogwarts chum-Neville Longbottom."

"What-I?" Remus looked back and forth at Severus and Dr. Stone.

"I had just told _Neville_ ," Severus said loudly, "about your impressive exhibition of ingredients your store has to offer, and he was insistent in seeing your collection pertaining to the _loup-garou_."

"Yes-yes, of course! Wait until you see for yourself, Mr. Longbottom. You won't find another assortment grander than my own." Dr. Stone moved to let the two inside.

Severus' smile snapped back into his natural scowl. He let go of Remus' shoulder to move his hand down the back and push him inside, causing Remus to stumble inside the shop.

Dr. Stone's shop was impossibly larger on the inside than the outside had made it appear. Red light bloomed from candles hovering near the ceiling. The abnormal hue from the candles was popular among professional potion makers for being able to disinfect rooms and cleanse the air the sour smells of fermented ingredients. Velvet curtains opened whenever Remus came near, their cloth arms beckoning him to buy their wares from faraway places. The curtains recognized Severus for his stinginess and would zipp shut when he approached, hissing through their threads.

The three men stopped in front of a blue velvet curtain large enough for its top to be obscured by the shadow of the ceiling. Dr. Stone pulled down on a golden rope as thick as his wrists. The curtain opened.

Tables, shelves, boxes, jars: all these presented or contained a mountain of ingredients made from werewolves. Teeth were segregated into their own jars by type, size, and quality. A basket was overfilled with severed claws. Hundred of jars full of fur were separated by color and type: red, black, brown, cream, white, short, long. A white pelt hung like a banner behind the pile, its eyeless sockets were wrinkled closed. In the middle of this pile, placed between two mummified paws, was the decapitated head of a werewolf. A film of dust coated its permanent snarl. Its dried, fragile ears were pulled back in fearful aggression. Its eyes, two wrinkled gray seeds, were sunk deep enough into the skull to stare at the ceiling for eternity.

"My collection always leaves the most skeptical sightseers speechless," Dr. Stone said proudly. "You won't find another as vast or well organized as mine. My study in wolfsbane has never left me short in volunteers for the cure of lycanthropy, but, as you can see, progress can be fatal. But success in science can't be found without a few casualties, and what's a werewolf or two?"

Remus could not stop staring into the eyes of the werewolf head.

"It's … it is vast. Just like you told me, Severus," Remus said. He cleared his throat.

"Yes, it seems to have grown since I've last seen it," Severus said.

"Yes, yes," Dr. Stone. "Last year was very busy for me-productive. Now then, can I interest you in any new wares today, Severus? I have a shipment of new cauldrons. Came in yesterday. That old one of yours must be getting on in years … No? Alright then. If you please pardon me, but I'm expecting to interview my next assistent soon."

"We need to leave anyways. For lunch," Severus said. "Isn't that right, Neville?"

"Ye-yes," Remus said, but he was unable to look away from the display of parts. Severus turned him around and led him out the blue glass door.

"That's what is in store for you, should you decide to assist Dr. Stone's research," Severus said. "I can cast a memory charm on Dr. Stone if you're still that desperate for the money."

Remus could not look up from the alleyways brick pavement.

"Well?" Severus said.

"I-I don't know what to do," Remus admitted. "All of the money I had left was used to come here …"

Severus noticed that Remus' robes were full of more holes than patches, and billowed off his thinner frame like clothes hung to dry. Severus sighed through his nose.

"Come along then. We might as well have lunch."

* * *

"I won't have my time dragging you here wasted. Eat something," Severus said.

They were back at the Bewildered Burrow, seated in the dining room. The dining room was too small and filled with too many tables. People did their best to sit as far apart from one another as possible. Remus and Severus were seated near next to the buffet table still full with cold scraps from breakfast.

Remus full plate of sausage and eggs reflected his hunger, but he only prodded his food with his fork, either unsure where to start eating or too afraid. Severus had already finished a cucumber sandwich while Remus had only taken a bite of food.

"I'm sorry," Remus said. "I … I just don't know what to do now. All of my money was used to come back to Diagon Alley, and to buy this pass. Why did he suggest I buy this if I didn't need it to meet him?"

Severus rubbed his fingers together. "All pass sales go towards supporting panel speakers and future conventions. Why not get some extra money out of you as well as your pelt?"

"You saved my life," Remus said.

Severus snorted. "I'd have hoped your common sense would have taken over after one look at the place on your own."

Tears built up in Remus' eyes. When he blinked they dripped into his food. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve, and tried to curl his lips into his mouth to keep his silence, but his composure collapsed faster than his tears fell.

"Pull yourself together!" Severus hissed. He covered his face with his hand to block the curious stares from the other people eating. He pinched a napkin from the arms of the bear-shaped napkin holder and passed it to Remus.

Remus wiped his eyes and blew his nose. Patches of pink skin shined from where the tears washed off the dirt collected from his vagabond lifestyle.

"I'm sorry-I'm sorry." Remus blue his nose a second time. "It's been six months since I've had any work. Too many people know about my condition now. And-and-" Remus grabbed more tissues to hide his face under.

Many times in his life Severus had imagined his intelligence and skills carrying him to greater levels of success that Remus and his friends could only dream of achieving. Here his vision was a reality, but it brought Severus none of the cruel pleasure he had dreamed, only reluctant pity.

"I really needed the money. Dr. Stone was the only person to respond back to my letters. There have been so many nights were I couldn't afford a place to stay … or food." These words sparked a realization in Remus that he was now sitting in front of the most food he'd seen in months. He began to shovel and shallow food in his mouth without pausing to chew.

The people that were curious over why the grown man was crying had to turn away to avoid being disgusted by his eating.

"Making a bloody fool of yourself," Severus muttered. "Might as well grab another plate and hide it in your trousers before you leave."

Remus nodded, his eyes not looking away from his plate.

Severus took his tea and leaned back in his chair. He contemplated if he and Remus had ever willingly shared a meal together. Any events unfavorable as this did not come to mind.

Over the sound of Remus' chewing, Severus became aware of wind's volume growing outside. Other guests also noticed and looked around for the source.

"Do you hear that?" Severus asked.

Remus continued devouring his eggs. Until Severus stood up he did not notice the increasing gale.

"What's going on?" Remus asked with his mouth full.

People started to get up from their chairs and head for the Bewildered Burrow's entrance.

"Come on," Severus said.

Remus snatched some fruit from the buffet before following. When he caught up with Severus they stood in the back of an expanding crowd. From here the wind was the loudest, but underneath its roar the voice of someone barking unfamiliar spells could be heard outside.

"Severus, can you see anything?" Remus took a bite out of an apple.

"No …"

Hotel staff were pushing curious gawkers away from the door. Severus recognized the plump staff woman from this morning holding her arms out to keep people from leaving. "It's too dangerous to leave right now!" she kept repeating. Simon the badger mimicked her posture, but also nipped at anyone's heels that attempted to pass.

"Everything is under control. Please go back to your rooms. No, ma'am, I assure you there won't be anymore fires," the staff woman said.

"Excuse me." Remus tapped the shoulder of a hotel guest. "Do you know what's going on?"

The hotel guest sneered at Remus as she studied his ragged clothes. Her nostrils flared, but she kept herself rudely composed.

"A madman is outside," she said, holding her breath. "Apparently he was the arsonist who set the inn on fire. Now he's trying to bury everyone in a snow storm. Excuse me." The guest was unable to tolerate Remus smell any longer and slipped into the crowd, holding her nose.

"A madman?" Remus repeated. "What do you suppose set him off? Oh, Severus, there he is. Out the window."

Before Severus had anytime to look out the window to his left, he and Remus were herded by the hotel's mob and shoved against the window.

"Oi, get out of the way!" Someone called.

"Who's the smelly one? Tell him to move."

"All of you back off!" Severus reached into his sleeve for his wand, but another push from the mob made it impossible to move. Popping wood and the sound of glass cracking quieted the mob. Slowly the window fell out of its socket like a domino and plopped into the snow. Everyone could now see the source of the excitement that gathered them in the first place.

An elderly man dressed only in his trousers and cap was saddled on a broomstick and flying high above their heads. Several of the hotel's staff circled around the madman on their own hotel brand broomsticks.

"My potion was supposed to win!" yelled the madman. He stuck out his arm, and a blast of cold air bellowed from his wand, blowing the hotel staff off their brooms. They landed safely in the snow the madman had conjured.

"Alright, this man is insane. Remus, we're leaving. Arghh-would you people get out of the way?" Severus tried to cut his arm through the crowd, but it was as efficient as using a rock to knock over a brick wall.

The madman noticed the fallen window frame.

"You!" he flew down and hovered outside of the window, giving Severus a glare that matched his own whenever his students agitated him.

"You ruined me," the madman said.

"What did you do, Severus?" Remus asked.

"I haven't done anything!" Severus yelled to Remus.

"Your formula kicked mine out of the roster," the madman said. "Decades of persistent work were wasted by your slapped-together formula. It's not even useful, just a modified painkiller!"

The madman pointed his wand at Severus' face. Hissing sparks sputtered from its tip. The mob rushed out of the way, leaving Severus and Remus free to flee with them.

A wave of snow poured through the window and into the inn. No one was injured. The most damage it had caused was ruining the shoes of a few unlucky guests. Severus and Remus stopped running to turn back and look at the mess, both of them were panting. Above the roof of the building the madman's cackles could be heard.

"Well, that was … something," Remus said.

"Quite."

Simon the badger was about to pass them when Severus snapped his fingers for the staff member's attention.

"How long is this expected to go on?" Severus asked.

The badger shrugged.

"Will we be able to leave soon?"

Simon shook his head.

"Of course," Severus said. "Is there a library here?"

Simon nodded.

"Find and bring me a book to my room."

"Braagghh!" Simon growled, and gestured to at the snow the entrance hall was buried in.

"I don't care what book. Something useful. And soon," Severus said.

"It seems you will be staying," Severus said to Remus. Like the rude guest, he just noticed that Remus smell was pungent in these closed quarters. "You can clean yourself in my room."

"Thank you, Severus," Remus said. He sounded unsure, but knew there wasn't anything else he could do in the inn as an unofficial guest.

Upon entering Severus' room, Remus had to stop to take in the gaudiness of the place.

"My original room caught on fire. I was upgraded," Severus explained.

"I see."

"The bathroom's over there. Leave your clothes out. I'll wash them," Severus said.

Remus went into the bathroom. After a moment his hand slipped out the door and dropped his robes. Severus picked them up and dropped them into the hamper. Unlike muggle laundry, the clothes of wizard folk could be loaded into a specialized cauldron from cleaning. Most cauldrons were plain, but this one had wicker coils carved into its metal body. An extra dash of cleansing powder was added on top of the smelling heap. The cauldron spun like a top for a few seconds, then slowed to a stop when it finished. Severus removed the clothes. Their colors were renewed, and the smell of the streets vanished, but the scent of wilderness stubbornly clung to the threads.

"Hmm."

Severus held the robes up by the shoulders. They had a closer resemblance to a torn war flag than clothing. The cycle had been too rough on the patches, they hung by their strings like autumn leaves.

Severus sat down on the loveseat in front of the fireplace. It was a sofa with flowery red upholstery framed by black wood. The fireplace itself was impressive as advertised, being made of marble. Bronze miniatures of bears were frozen in a drunken dance with honey pots under their arms. A peaceful painting of two swans swimming through a garden's pond hung above the fireplace.

Holding his wand near the tip as if it were a needle, Severus cast a charm that allowed him to begin sewing the torn seams back together, the same arm motion for sewing being required for the charm to work. Severus was soon lost in the daze a hobbyist find themselves in when at the most absorbed in their activity.

Unbeknownst to Severus, the bees in the chandelier were awakened from their slumber. They crawled randomly as real insects do, but silently. They analyzed the atmosphere of the room now blessed with a new guest. Magic informed their systems that they had less than two days to make their guests stay romantic, and, judging by the emotions they sensed, their assignment would test the limits of their ability. The bees shuffled into a few of the many hundreds of hexagon holes in the chandelier's glass honeycomb. Their glass wings propelled charmed powders and scents to specifically make their guests feel more at ease with each other. Rushing would cause panic and complaints. Their duty was to influence their guest, but their influence must also feel _natural_. It was not the room's expertise to match people who may as well be strangers, but, like a muggle machine, the magic of this room toiled blindly, regardless of the affection (existing or not) between its guests.

An hour passed. Remus stepped out wearing a white robe with a badger emblem over the breast. His face was pink from hot water and meticulous scrubbing. He had taken the time to trim out the unevenness of his facial hair.

"For someone always patching their clothes one would think you'd be better at sewing," Severus said without looking up from his needlework.

"You didn't have to do that," Remus said, but Severus response was to complete the last stitch and pass the robes back to him. He collected them and went back into the bathroom to dress. When he came back out, Remus' appearance showed visible improvement. Despite still being dressed in patchy robes, life and color had returned to him as it does to a polished antique.

"Nice job, Severus" Remus said. He tested the strength of his new mends with short tugs.

A scratching noise occurred behind the door. Remus answered it.

"Hello there," he said.

Simon, his fur covered with clumps of snow, stood in the doorway with a book in his mouth. The badger cooed at Remus, surprised to see the stranger in the room.

"I can give that to him." Remus took the book, flicking off the drool hanging on the spine. "Has that man outside been apprehended yet?"

Simon made a growling sigh and shook his head.

"It can't be helped," Remus said. "Thank you."

Simon held his paw out.

"Oh, let me see …" Remus searched his pockets. All he had for change was a to-do list and scraps of freshly cleaned rabbit jerky. Catching the scent of meat, Simon's paw slapped down and his mouth opened like a toy. Remus inserted the food into the badger's mouth. The tip was accepted with satisfied bites. Simon shuffled away when Severus approached the door, throwing suspicious glares over his shoulder.

"What did he bring?" Severus took the book and read the cover. He frowned and pushed Remus aside to yell out into the hallway: "You won't be laughing as a rug, you oversized rat!"

Animalistic laughter echoed down the hall.

"What's wrong?" Remus asked.

Severus held up the book. In red font the title read: HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE.

"What a mean trick." Remus chuckled. "Hm. It's dark already."

Whatever portions of the window not buried in the snow were stained by the black of the night.

"I never enjoyed how dark it gets at winter ... Do you need help?" Remus asked when Severus kneeled in front of the fireplace.

"No." Severus rolled a drum-sized log into the fireplace. A spark activated when the fireplace was fed and set the log ablaze.

"It's surprising that one one has caught that man outside yet," Remus said.

"Nothing will surprise you when you realize everyone is incompetent." Severus sat down in the loveseat and opened the self-help book. It may as well get some use while it was here. He had nothing more to say to Remus.

Remus sat next to him, content to stare at the fire. The room was painted with black shadows and strokes of fiery light. All of the sharp, gaudy details of the bedroom dwindled in the warming glow, creating a gentle and loving impression as advertised by the Bewildered Burrow.

After half an hour, Severus felt too exhausted to read anymore. Three times he had tried to focus on reading the current page, but his mind could not register the words as if they were scribbles.

"Do you ever think about them?" Remus asked with a distant voice. His cheek rested in the palm of his hand, supported by the arm of the sofa.

"Hm?"

"James, Sirius … Lily."

Severus snapped the book the book shut and waited for the excuse Remus would have for rekindling his private memories.

"In some way or another," Remus said, "They're gone. All gone … I can remember them. Their laughs, their smiles, but … I saw myself in the mirror-after washing. I realized that I'm older than them now, older than they'll ever be. I'll never see their smiles, or be able to hear their laughter. I can only remember …"

Tears formed in Remus' eyes. He wiped them away before they could fall.

"I'm sorry. These last few months have been difficult. They've taken a toll." A sad, quiet laugh jumped from Remus' throat. "Thank you for today. I'm not sure what I'd of done if I went to Dr. Stone without your warning."

"Best not to look too deeply into it," Severus said, glad that the conversation topic had changed as quickly as it came, "Albus would have my head if he found out I let you willingly go under that conman's wing."

Remus laughed and looked at Severus in a way he could not understand. Every muscle strained with weakness to smile, but the warmth Severus received from it unnerved him.

"It would be nice if we could become friends," Remus said quietly, as if the idea must not be heard by strangers.

"Then you are in greater need of this book than I." Severus tossed the book at Remus' lap.

"I mean it." Remus set the book aside. "I've never _disliked_ you, Severus. I always thought it was a shame that we never got along in school as friends. Or as _chums_. Is there anyway we can put the past behind us-start over?"

"It must be easy for the scoundrel to forgive and forget the misery _they_ never felt," Severus said.

Remus seemed to be carefully sort the thoughts in his head. Out of all of the long, complex excuses he imagined, what he decided to do was to place his hand on Severus' shoulder and say, "I'm sorry."

Severus felt the sincerity in the apology, sincerity in the touch, but the old walls of his defensive spirit remained standing.

"Why are you bothering? It's too late for this nonsense," Severus said.

Remmus' smile became sheepish and embarrassed, but was still there. "I suppose I'm still hungry, and tired. Not in a right state of mind. But," Remus' hand caressed down to Severus' arm and gave him a gentle squeeze, "maybe we can settle our differences with a happy memory."

The guards stationed in Severus' mind warned him that this was a trick. A trojan horse of affection being used as a ploy for an insidious attack to humiliate him.

"I don't believe you," Severus said.

Remus took hold of Severus' hand into his own. Rough fingers held onto him with an earnest grip while his thumbs made delicate circles over Severus' softer skin. This closeness was not something Severus had ever wanted with anyone else, but a neglected need for human connection persuaded him not to push away.

Remus leaned over and and placed kiss lighter than a flower petal's touch upon the corner of Severus' mouth. They remained still as the fire animated before them. Remus let go of Severus' hand and slowly pulled himself away, as if sure that sudden movements would would startle the other.

"Was that alright?" Remus asked as a whisper.

Scratching his cheeks to obscure his reddening face, Severus was surprised to find himself nodding.

The two men sat together in silence, waiting for the other to say something. Only the fire chattered between them.

"Can I do it again?" Remus asked.

Severus' mouth tightened. Never had he imagined himself being faced with affection as an antagonist, or it also being more terrifying than the abuse he was so well practised in battling. But Severus nodded again so lightly that Remus was unsure if he really saw the gesture until Severus turned himself to more comfortably face him.

Their lips approached each other, Remus showing more daring while Severus had only inched forward. They began with small, inoffensive kisses. Their mouths gradually opened for the other's breath. Remus dipped his tongue into Severus' mouth. It was cold and invasive, but as Severus mentally encouraged himself to brave through the sensation, his own tongue helped unite their temperatures into a conjoined warmth.

Remus released Severus' mouth from the grip of his own. He cupped the back of Severus' neck and pressed their foreheads together. A cold sweat cooled their excitement.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted you," Remus panted. He plunged his mouth into depth of Severus' neck, smothering the skin with deep kisses, unaware of the puzzlement that wrinkled Severus' face. Remus returned to kissing Severus' mouth, confessing words of lust between each parting.

"Your face, you hair, your body." Remus hands brushed down over Severus' chest. They continued their journey to the waist as he spoke. "Every time I saw you I'd just imagine …" A wandering hand reached down and cupped Severus groin.

"Uh-uh-" Panic shivered underneath Severus' skin. He pushed himself out of Remus' hold and squirmed backwards, perching himself on the arm of the loveseat.

"Oh god." All of the lust in Remus' complexion flushed away into a cold dread. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'll-I'll go-"

"No." Severus reached out and grabbed Remus' shoulder, pushing him back down in the loveseat. "Everything is fine. It's fine-It's just-stay there."

Severus went to his bed, grabbed the top blanket and extra pillows, then tossed them on top of Remus.

"It'stimeforbedgoodnight." Severus dived into the bed, using his propulsion to wrap himself in the blankets as quickly as possible. Fully bundled, he realized that the fire still burned. His arm reached out; with a snap of his fingers the two men were in a blink of darkness. There was a slow, careful shuffle of cloth as Remus arranged himself a bed on the loveseat.

The silence between them chilled away whatever warmth the fire had brought.

"Severus?" whispered Remus.

Still cold. Still silent.

"Severus, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to overstep your boundaries like that."

A long sigh heaved from the bundle of blankets in the bed.

"It's alright," Severus said. "Everything about today was unexpected." He reached down to test if he was still firm, but already the embarrassment had softened him.

"But it was nice," Severus added, almost too softly to hear. Anymore words he thought to say caused him to choke.

In the darkness the chandelier's bees scurried frantically, aghast by their failure to make their guests' evening end like a fairy-tale. They analyzed the scents of the emotions lingering in the room: alarm, arousal, self-pity, self-hatred. Deducing what must be done, the bees charmed a spell to clear their guests of worries.

Although it could be argued that manipulating guests in such a way was morally wrong, the room was not aware of its emotional intrusion and operated under the assumption that any couple that willingly boarded its chambers _wanted_ the stimulation. Its influence was less than what people gave it credit for, however, and most often it only gave the extra push for love, explanation, or forgiveness its guests most often required.

The bees faced no conflicts in charming the two men asleep, guaranteeing them a fulfilling and dreamless rest. Their glass wings fluttered in thought, curious how they would handle their most difficult relationship tomorrow.

* * *

AN: So that's chapter one. You guys know what's annoying? Having this site point out spelling errors that Google Docs missed.

There's only one more chapter left. Don't worry, it's already written down on paper. I just need to get some other stuff out of the way before I get started on it. It will be up soon-ish. Sorry, unemployment is a bitch. Hope you all enjoy reading so far and will stick around for the final update.


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